You have to wonder if Ronan Keating ever predicted that when he began co-managing five Irish wannabes called Westlife that they would soon be breaking all the records he once set.

You have to wonder if Ronan Keating ever predicted that when he began co-managing five Irish wannabes called Westlife that they would soon be breaking all the records he once set.

As one fifth of Boyzone, Ronan set the charts alight in the mid to late 1990s with a string of chart-toppers and top five hits, picking up awards galore.

And when he set off on his solo career he continued to set records.

Until those Westlife lads took the lead.

Earlier this year Westlife announced their 14th gig at Newcastle's Telewest Arena, breaking Ronan's appearances there, as both a solo act and as part of Boyzone, by one date. They've since announced a15th show there.

Ronan takes it all in good heart. "I always believed in the lads, but there was nothing else I could do for Westlife," he smiles.

"My involvement was about setting up the way their first album looked and sounded. I also used my name to get them a deal. But that ship is now sailing itself."

And how. But so is Ronan's ship. His last appearance at the Telewest, in June last year, was on the back of the release of his album Destination.

It's a mark of how popular the singer is that he can return to the venue just 10 months later, with no new album under his belt - although a new single is out at the end of the month.

As well as having a successful career, the amiable Irishman is making the most of his time as a family man. He is married to former model Yvonne and they have two children, Jack, four and Marie, two.

"It's an amazing difference having a second child," he admits. "You think it'll mean doing double what you are doing with one, but it isn't - it's four times the amount of work.

"We are happy with two children, and we will have to wait and see if we have any more. Originally, we thought about having four or five, but we are all fine as we are now.

"Jack and Marie are great friends, and really good company for each other. I think it's good for kids to be around other kids."

While he has been developing his songwriting prowess, Keating can't see the day when he swaps over to the production side of the music industry full-time.

"I may have been going for 10 years, but I'm still pretty young, and to perform music is why I got into the business in the first place. I love doing it and can't ever see a day when I don't want to get up on stage and perform."

But if the hits stop coming, he could always make a living as a drag act! He made headlines last month with a spot of cross-dressing, donning drag for a brassy blonde image which made him look like Paul O'Grady's alter ego, Lily Savage.

Ronan ditched his usual suave style for the panto dame makeover as part of a campaign for Heineken.

* Ronan Keating is at the Telewest Arena on Monday. Ticket details are on (0870) 707 8000, or visit www.telewestarena.co.uk